Sandia National Laboratories has previously developed DF-200, an enhanced aqueous decontamination formulation for the neutralization of chemical and biological warfare agents and biological pathogens.
Two formulations associated with DF-200 are summarized below:
DF-200HF (Enhanced Formulation for High Foam Applications):
    2.0% Variquat 80MC (cationic surfactant)    1.0% Adogen 477 (cationic hydrotrope)    0.4% 1-Dodecanol (fatty alcohol)    2.0% Polyethylene Glycol 8000 (polymer)    0.8% Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether (solvent)    0.5% Isobutanol (solvent)    5.0% Bicarbonate salt (buffer and peroxide activator)    3.5% Hydrogen Peroxide (oxidant)    2.0% Propylene Glycol Diacetate or Glycerol Diacetate (peroxide activator)    10.0% Propylene Glycol (organic stabilizer)    ˜2.0% Potassium Hydroxide (pH adjustment)    Water (Remainder—˜70%)Note: The formulation can be adjusted to a pH value between 9.6 and 9.9; and is effective for decontamination of all agents tested.
DF-200NF (Enhanced Formulation for No Foam Applications):    2.0% Benzalkonium Chloride    2.0% Propylene Glycol Diacetate or Glycerol Diacetate    3.5% Hydrogen Peroxide    5.0% Potassium Bicarbonate    10.0% Propylene Glycol (organic stabilizer)    ˜2.0% Potassium Hydroxide    Water (Remainder—˜75%)
A new form of the Sandia National Laboratories decontamination formulation (DF-200) is needed to meet the CBW agent decontamination requirements of the US Department of Defense (DoD), and other potential users, for significantly reduced weight and volume burdens. Of primary interest and benefit to the warfighter is the use of one formulation for battlefield and fixed site decontamination that is easily deployable, fast reacting, environmentally friendly with low toxicity and corrosivity properties, and that has a low logistics burden. Currently, the aqueous-based DF-200 is provided in an ‘all-liquid’ configuration where all water is included within the packaged formulation. The current decontamination formulation of the US DoD (EasyDECON™-200 and MDF-200 which are based on Sandia National Laboratories DF-200 Decontamination Formulation) contains approximately 75% water and is packaged, shipped, and stored with all the water as part of the formulation. Although this configuration of DF-200 makes it simple to use (by quickly mixing each of the three liquid parts) it requires a significant logistics burden since each gallon of the formulation weighs approximately 9 lbs.
A new configuration of the decontamination formulation is needed that can be packaged as a dry kit, with most or all water removed, thereby reducing the packaged weight of the decontamination formulation by ˜80% (as compared to the “all-liquid” DF-200 formulation) and significantly lowering the logistics burden on the warfighter. Water (freshwater or saltwater) would be added to the new decontamination formulation configuration at the time of use from a local source.
Currently, standard DF-200 is used by the military in an ‘all-liquid’ configuration consisting of three parts:                Part A: Foam Component (˜49% by volume)—consists of surfactants, solvents, inorganic bases, and buffers dissolved in water;        Part B: 8% Hydrogen Peroxide Solution (˜49% by volume)—consists of hydrogen peroxide dissolved in water; and        Part C: Liquid Peroxide Activator (˜2% by volume)—consists of an organic liquid.As seen in the current formulations above, water makes up a substantial portion of DF-200 and, hence, it removal can achieve the desired weight savings. However, development of a reduced weight configuration of DF-200 (i.e., a ‘dry’ formulation) is a considerable technical challenge. Ideally, a ‘dry’ formulation would have the following desirable characteristics:        high storage stability in extreme temperature environments;        rapid solubility of the ingredients in both freshwater and saltwater;        low cost (e.g., use of commercially available ingredients);        high efficacy against both chemical and biological warfare agents;        ability to maintain sufficient contact time between the formulation and the agents on both vertical and horizontal surfaces in all deployment conditions;        ability to be easily deployed with existing military equipment.To accomplish these objectives, the development of a reduced weight decontamination formulation utilizing a solid peracid compound focused on three tasks:        evaluation of the sodium borate peracetate material to determine its stability under high temperature storage conditions;        selection of ingredients to extract chemical and biological warfare agents from contaminated material surfaces into the decontamination formulation for subsequent neutralization (i.e., selection of surfactants for incorporation into the decontamination formulation); and        selection of ingredients to enable the decontamination formulation to maintain sufficient contact time on a surface to achieve the required efficacy against chemical and biological warfare agents.        